WCC 2025 Schedule

Programming tailored to people working in economic and community development, waterway management, tourism, and historic preservation along the world’s inland waterways. Customize your participation based on your interests, or discover new thinkers and topics that expand your horizons.

Keynote Speakers:

Exciting Announcements Coming Soon!

Monday

Sept 22

Select a time to view topics and speakers.

8:30am - 9:15am

Conference Opening and Welcome

Story and Symbol: Recreating the Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief

Buffalo Maritime Center

9:15am - 11:15am

General Sessions

9:15am - 10:00am

Currents of Change: How Historic Waterways Drive Economic Growth

Moderator:

Walter T. Mosely,

Secretary of the State of New York

Speakers:

Brian Stratton,

Director, NYS Canal Corporation

Hope Knight,

CEO and Commissioner of Empire State Development

10:00am - 10:30am

Break,
Exhibition Hall Open 10am - 5pm

10:30am - 11:15am

Currents of Change: How Historic Waterways Drive Economic Growth

Moderator:

Walter T. Mosely,

Secretary of the State of New York

Speakers:

Brian Stratton,

Director, NYS Canal Corporation

Hope Knight,

CEO and Commissioner of Empire State Development

11:15am - 12:00pm

Keynote TBA

Keynote speaker to be announced soon.

12:00pm - 1:00pm

Lunch

Story and Symbol: Recreating the Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief

Buffalo Maritime Center

1:00pm - 4:30pm

Breakout Sessions

1:00pm - 2:00pm

Trends in Waterway Tourism & Recreation

Seeing the Canal Anew: Artistic Journeys Along Historic Waters

Speakers:

Angelyn Chandler,

New York Power Authority

Matthew López-Jensen,

Fordham University and Parsons School of Design

Andy Scott,

Scottish Canals

Inclusion and Accessibility

Before the Erie Canal: Indigenous Water Transport and Biological Wealth

Speakers:

Maddy Nyblad,

Assistant Professor, SUNY ESF

Catherine Landis,

Center for Native Peoples and the Environment, SUNY ESF

Waterway Management

Canal Boat Electrification: Problems and Solutions

Speakers:

David Borton,

CEO, Sustainable Energy Systems Inc

Eric Hamilton,

Secretary, Mohawk Towpath Byway

Pete Bardunias,

Senior Vice President, Capital Region Chamber

Locking Forward and Back: Using AI to enable the Past to Speak to the Present to Ensure the Future of New York State Canal System

Speakers:

Maddy Nyblad,

Assistant Professor, SUNY ESF

2:10pm - 3:10pm

Canals and Historic Preservation

The Grand Erie Canal: Precedents, Growth and Preservation

Speakers:

Brad Utter,

New York State Museum

Derrick Pratt,

Erie Canal Museum Site

David Brooks,

Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site

Trends in Waterway Tourism & Recreation

Attracting Long-Distance Cruising Boats to a Canal Near You

Speakers:

Kim Russo,

America's Great Loop Cruisers' Association

Chad Buchner,

Trent-Severn Waterway National Historic Site of Canada

Canals: Outstanding Tourist Attractions—and Great Neighbors!

Speakers:

Thomas Vonier,

UIA International Union of Architects

Healthy Waterways, Healthy Communities

Upstate New York's Renaissance in Downtown Revitalization in Erie Canal Communities

Speakers:

Paul Beyer,

NYS Department of State

Austin Tylec,

Mayor, City of North Tonawanda

Ken Kearney,

Kearney Realty & Development Group

Amanda Smith,

NYS Department of State

3:10pm - 3:30pm

Break,
Exhibition Hall Open 10am - 5pm

3:30pm - 4:30pm

Waterway Management

Aquatic Invasive Species Management - Protecting Our Waters: Innovative Strategies Against Aquatic Invaders

Speakers:

Kate Litrell,

Senior Environmental Scientist, New York Power Authority

Meg Molly Gilbertson,

Lake Champlain Basin Program

Steven Pearson,

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

Shifting Gears after 10 Years: Initiating New Techniques for Hydrilla Control on the Erie Canal

Speakers:

Lindsay Yoder,

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

Trends in Waterway Tourism & Recreation

Boosting Canal Economies Through Novel Tourism

Speakers:

Marilyn Higgins,

Author, Dreams of Freedom

Harnessing Popular Culture to Expand Popular Interest in Canals

Speakers:

Nancy Bachana,

D&H Canal Transportation Heritage Council

Inclusion and Accessibility

Encounters with Uncomfortable Histories in the Canal Space

Speakers:

Dr. Jodie Matthews,

Manchester Metropolitan University, UK

Uncovering Peyton Harris

Speakers:

Yao Khalil Newkirk,

PhD student, University at Buffalo

4:30pm - 5:30pm

WMHT Documentary Screening

Reflections on the Erie Canal

Look back on the two-hundred-year journey of the Erie Canal and contemplate its future on its bicentennial anniversary.

5:30pm - 6:30pm

Reception at the Statler Hotel

Meet in the Hyatt lobby for the short walk to the Statler

6:30pm - 7:30pm

Networking Event

Keynote speaker to be announced soon.

Tuesday

Sept 23

8:00am - 8:30pm

Niagara Falls Welland Canal

Field Session

Cross Border Connections: From Past to Present

Learn More

8:00am - 8:30pm

Brockport - Fairport

Field Session

Cross Border Connections: From Past to Present

Learn More

8:00am - 8:30pm

Lockport - Medina

Field Session

Downtown Revitalization Through History and Art

Learn More

8:00am - 8:30pm

North Tonawanda - Lockport

Field Session

Waterfront Revitalization and Economic Development

Learn More

Wednesday

Sept 24

Select a time to view topics and speakers.

7:30am - 9:00am

Breakfast

Story and Symbol: Recreating the Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief

Buffalo Maritime Center

9:00am - 11:00am

Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief Voyage Kickoff Ceremony

9:15am - 10:00am

Currents of Change: How Historic Waterways Drive Economic Growth

Moderator:

Walter T. Mosely,

Secretary of the State of New York

Speakers:

Brian Stratton,

Director, NYS Canal Corporation

Hope Knight,

CEO and Commissioner of Empire State Development

10:00am - 10:30am

Break,
Exhibition Hall Open 10am - 5pm

10:30am - 11:15am

Currents of Change: How Historic Waterways Drive Economic Growth

Moderator:

Walter T. Mosely,

Secretary of the State of New York

Speakers:

Brian Stratton,

Director, NYS Canal Corporation

Hope Knight,

CEO and Commissioner of Empire State Development

11:00am - 1:00pm

Lunch On Your Own

Keynote speaker to be announced soon.

1:00pm - 4:30pm

Exhibition Hall Open

Story and Symbol: Recreating the Erie Canal Boat Seneca Chief

Buffalo Maritime Center

1:00pm - 4:30pm

Breakout Sessions

1:00pm - 2:00pm

Trends in Waterway Tourism & Recreation

Locks, Lore, and Living History: The Vital Role of Canal Tenders

Speakers:

Paul David Richardson,

New York State Canal Corporation

Chad Buchner,

Trent-Severn Waterway National Historic Site of Canada

John McKee,

New York State Canal Corporation

Canals and Historic Preservation

Preserving History at the Schoharie Crossing Aqueduct

Speakers:

Paul Banks,

Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site

200 Years Strong: The Adaptive Re-use of the Erie Canal

Speakers:

Robyn Sedgwick,

New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation

Living Museums: Making Lockhouses More Accessible to the Public

Speakers:

Arden Shaer,

C&O Canal Trust

Healthy Waterways, Healthy Communities

The importance of transiting boats in securing the future of the French waterway network

Speakers:

David Edwards May,

Inland Waterways International

The Soulanges Canal (Montréal, Canada). A laboratory of innovation in canal construction (1891-1900)

Speakers:

Luc Noppen,

Université du Québec à Montréal

Renewed Focus on Inland Water Transport in India

Speakers:

Sri Krishna Kumar,

Indian Water Resources Society & Department of Water Resources

2:10pm - 3:10pm

Trends in Waterway Tourism & Recreation

Historic Routes, Future Opportunities: Community Engagement Through the Erie Canal

Speakers:

Derrick Pratt,

Erie Canal Museum

Erica Schneider,

Parks & Trails New York

Ashley Quimby-Simoni,

Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor

Inclusion and Accessibility

Canal Narratives: Expanding Storytelling and Finding Audiences

Speakers:

Catherine Rafferty,

WMHT Public Media

Will Pedigo,

WMHT Public Media

Shane Mahar,

New York Power Authority/NYS Canal Corporation

Waterway Management

Seepage Solutions: Engineering Excellence on the Erie Canal

Speakers:

Wesley Hollenbach,

AECOM

Joe Dodd,

New York Power Authority

Enhancing Waterway Management and Decision-Making with System-Wide Models: Insights from the Erie Canal in the United States

Speakers:

Allan Estivalet,

Schnabel Engineering

Felix Weidlinger,

Schnabel Engineering

3:10pm - 3:30pm

Break,
Exhibition Hall Open 10am - 5pm

3:30pm - 4:30pm

Trends in Waterway Tourism & Recreation

The Erie Canal at 200: Uncovering Diverse Legacies and Untold Stories

Speakers:

Brian McAlonie,

BMC Consulting

Michele-Elise Burnett,

Kakekalanicks

Barbara Sears-Nevergold, PhD,

Educator, Community Historian, and Author

Katie Campos,

Executive Director, Ralph Wilson Park Conservancy

Kari Bonaro,

Vice President, Board of Directors, Ralph Wilson Park Conservancy

Reconnecting Buffalo to Its Waterfront: The Story of Ralph Wilson Park

Speakers:

Katie Campos,

Executive Director, Ralph Wilson Park Conservancy

Charlie Torres,

Vice President, Board of Directors, Ralph Wilson Park Conservancy

Inclusion and Accessibility

How Historic Interpretation of the Underground Railroad Can Generate Tourism in Canal Communities and Create Economic Development Opportunities for Underrepresented Groups

Speakers:

Sage Hamilton-Hazarika,

Underground Railroad Consortium of New York State

Garry Johnson,

NAACP New York State Conference

Shondel Beverly,

Oneida County Tourism

Healthy Waterways, Healthy Communities

Historic Downtown Revitalization Through Canal Connectivity

Speakers:

Michael Cocquyt,

LaBella Associates

Under Main Street: Investing in Local Stories and Communities across the Erie Canal

Speakers:

Patrick Lynch,

Syracuse University

Delaware Canal - Then and Now

Speakers:

Michael Ginder,

Friends of the Delaware Canal

Brett Webber,

Friends of the Delaware Canal

6:00pm - 6:30pm

Transport To Canalside

6:30pm - 8:30pm

Dinner At Canalside

8:30pm - 9:00pm

Return Transport To Hyatt

Thursday

Sept 25

Select a time to view topics and speakers.

7:30am - 9:00am

Breakfast

8:30am - 12:00pm

General Sessions

8:30am - 9:00am

Photography Along the Erie Canal

Speakers:

John Kucko,

John Kucko Digital

8:30am - 9:00am

Lingqu Canal & WCC26, The Ancient Canal and Modern Community Life

Speakers:

John Kucko,

John Kucko Digital

8:30am - 9:00am

Sustainable Inclusion: Transforming Canal Recreation Through Education and Action

Speakers:

New York Power Authority,

John Kucko Digital

Darby Racey,

John Kucko Digital

Anita O'Brien,

Rochester Accessible Adventures

Kate Morse,

Hudson Crossing Park

10:00am - 10:30am

Break,
Exhibition Hall Open 10am - 5pm

11:00am - 12:00pm

Currents of Change: How Historic Waterways Drive Economic Growth

Speakers:

Mona Caron,

Secretary of the State of New York

Bridging Eras: The New York State Canalway Trail's Past, Present, and Future

Speakers:

Dylan Carey,

PTNY

Sasha del Peral,

NYS Canal Corporation

C&O Canal: Towpath trail becomes the driver for historic preservation

Speakers:

Bill Holdsworth,

Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Association

Cultivating The Next Generation of Public Lands Stewards Through Perennial Engagement

Speakers:

Rebecca Murray,

PTNY

12:00pm - 12:30pm

Hand-off Ceremony for WCC2026 Hosts and Closing

Guilin Delegation, China

12:30pm - 1:00pm

GRAB AND GO LUNCH

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Field Sessions